Is it worth taking the Can Am riding class?

[vito1943]

I've been riding my Spyder RT for close to 2 years now, following almost 40 years riding 2 wheels. I had no trouble getting used to the Spyder after the years of motorcycling on two wheels (other than to stop riding in the left third of the lane as I always did on 2 wheels) and couldn't find anywhere around that was offering a trike class of any kind. I'm still not sure if I could find a Can Am sponsored class, but wondered if there would be any value at this point in taking such a class.

[Adventurer]

I've been riding my Spyder RT for close to 2 years now, following almost 40 years riding 2 wheels. I had no trouble getting used to the Spyder after the years of motorcycling on two wheels (other than to stop riding in the left third of the lane as I always did on 2 wheels) and couldn't find anywhere around that was offering a trike class of any kind. I'm still not sure if I could find a Can Am sponsored class, but wondered if there would be any value at this point in taking such a class.

I recommend the training classes to people all the time, so there’s no doubt I’m a believer in them for the Spyder/Ryker and two wheels too. However, in my personal opinion, if you’ve been riding a Spyder nearly two years now you’ll likely learn nothing new in regards to the Spyder itself. But, if you’ve never taken a rider safety course I’d still recommend it even with your 40 years of experience ‘cause all us old dogs can still learn a new trick or two. Then there’s the perk that most insurance companies offer a discount if you’ve taken a rider safety course.

[vito1943]

Thanks for the comment. I've taken the MSF rider course more than once, and I taught it as an MSF Instructor for 10 years. Having the Spyder as my only motorcycle over 149cc, I used it for my license renewal in 2021. But unfortunately here in IL, by taking the test with the Spyder, my license limited me to 3 wheels. So I enrolled and took the basic riding class again and thereby secured my full motorcycle endorsement. It was interesting to take the class with several beginner riders, being almost 20 years since I stopped teaching the class. There were less changes from the past than I had imagined and it certainly was not a waste of my time. It actually was fun riding a little 250cc Honda Rebel for that weekend, making me think that this coming summer I might buy a small motorcycle to add to my garage, even if my kids think that 80 years old is too old to buy another motorcycle!

[Peacekeeper6]

I've been riding my Spyder RT for close to 2 years now, following almost 40 years riding 2 wheels. I had no trouble getting used to the Spyder after the years of motorcycling on two wheels (other than to stop riding in the left third of the lane as I always did on 2 wheels) and couldn't find anywhere around that was offering a trike class of any kind. I'm still not sure if I could find a Can Am sponsored class, but wondered if there would be any value at this point in taking such a class.

If it'll help you save a little on your insurance, it's worth it.

[shakin_jake]

the Best help i ever got in regards to a learning experience while riding can also be useful behind the wheel of an auto or truck. I’m referring to the lesson taught in a motorcycle roadracing licensing course i took at Morosso back in 1995. It was a licensing class taught by Frank Kinsey, an ex motorcycle road racer who just so happened to be the Michelin trackside vendor at Morosso motorcycle events. Frank’s class which appealed to me was titled no brake cornering. FWIW i had taken a roadracing licensing course prior at the then new Homestead race track earlier that year taught by Penguin roadracing. I wanted to obtain a roadracing license and qualified for such after taking the Penguin course yet i wanted to acquire more knowledge before buying my first roadracing license. So I enrolled in Frank’s no brake cornering course. As the name of the course implied, we were taught how to scrub off speed entering a corner w/o using the motorcycle’s brakes. This was good knowledge and made me feel comfortable in buying my first roadracing license. But back to the first licensing course Penguin taught. One of the most dynamic skills i learned from Penguin’s school at Homestead was a concept taught known as target fixation. This phenomenon was explained originally taught to world war 2 pilots. It seemed there were a number of pilots back then that were running into the plane in front of them. They were flying the new jets and their faster speed was such, so the pilots were fixated on the plane in front of them, so they ended up crashing into the backside of the plane they were following

How this bit of knowledge transferred to roadracing was such as follows- look where you want to go instead of what is happening in front of you. Take for instance, you’re riding or driving in a car on a public roadway. You approach an intersection with a traffic light and you want to turn left. As you are making your left turn, some bonehead approaching from the opposite direction runs the light. He’s about to T-bone your passenger door. What do you do to avoid this cluster f%@k? If you haven’t received the proper training, he’ll likely hit your passenger door as so happens countless times daily. Yet since you were trained how not to become target fixated, you look and drive elsewhere, precisely where that errant driver was coming from (if you’re so lucky there is no one following him), and you avoid the pending collision

Shortly after i learned t his technique i was turning left southbound at the only traffic light in Big Pine Key Fla. (yes, Jake was a big pioneer, in another life) and some fool ran the light in front of me while I was turning. Thankfully the training I learned in a roadracing school saved our lives (my wife’s Aunt was riding in my 64’ MGB at the time. I was taking her to a hair dresser appointment she had. Rather than looking at the car about to hit us, I turned my attention to where the car had been prior to running into us. There were other courses of safe escape but i focused my attention on where the car was prior to running the light

How all that applied to motorcycle roadracing, on a track there are times motorcycles in front of you go down. You dont want to focus your attention on that fallen rider. Instead, you want to look away, so as to avoid running into him/her/their crashed bike. Things happen quickly on a roadracing corse yet the same can be said about traveling on a public roadway

Anywho, that’s a my only contribution to this thread. Others may have better and different ideas


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
Suicide hotline can you hold please?

[Hound]

I'd like to but not when the closest class is over 4hrs away.

[2dogs]

Considering all the questions on this site I believe they may also do themselves better by offering an additional Can Am maintenance class. JMO

[Little Blue]

...Well folks the time spent on training skills is always a 'BIG' Plus.
I thought that training would be 'kind of a nice thing'.
My Wife said that she would like to take a course on motorcycle ryding.
So we took the class together.

We both have better insurance rates because of taking the Training.

Your time and money = only a Plus.

Stay Healthy. ....